Wednesday, March 26, 2014

2014 NFL Draft: Packers Receive Two Compensatory Picks

While the Packers have drafted a couple star players (WR Randall Cobb, RB Eddie Lacy) in recent years, along with a few other starters, only four members of the 2011 draft class remain (and one of those players is Derek Sherrod) and only four from 2012. So while the addition of compensatory draft picks is welcomed, there's no guarantee they'll use them wisely. Though one of those picks is pretty good:

#Packers receive two compensatory draft picks: 3rd and a 5th. Third is for Greg Jennings and 5th is for Erik Walden.
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) March 24, 2014

Jennings is still a useful receiver and I'm on the fence whether I'd rather have him or a third round pick. Having received anything in return for Erik Walden is a steal. The picks are 98th and 176th overall.

It's pure guesswork who the Packers might target in those spots, and these selections cannot be traded, but here are the types of players who might be available.

C Travis Swanson, C, Arkansas. He's currently ranked as the 98th best player on CBSSports.com. If you're missing Evan Dietrich-Smith and you're not quite sure about J.C. Tretter as the center of the future, than he might be an appealing selection. Being tall helps at center, and at 6-5 and 312 pounds, Swanson certainly has the size to play in the NFL. He's athletic, but not very fast or very strong, which is why he isn't ranked higher. He has potential.

WR Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina. He's short (5-9) and a bit of a project, but he's fast and currently ranked as the 99th best player at CBSSports.com. Interestingly, he's compared to Randall Cobb. He actually could be a good fit for the Packers, who need another receiver after the free agent loss of James Jones, but only as a No. 4 or 5. He'd be a good fit as someone who could potentially contribute on special teams while he learns the offensive system.

Who knows who they'll find at 176th overall, but I easily found two quality prospects at No. 98 who could help the Packers in the future so imagine what GM Ted Thompson will do with it.